How to properly change a tire.
- Thread starter khd995
- Start date
Forrest Fetherolf
Senior Member
I use a 6 ton bottle jack centered on the spring u-bolt. Depending on your rig you will only be lifting about 1 to 1.5 ton. The u-bolt will help prevent crushing the axle...............if crushing the axle is possible!!!!!!! Jacking up the rig with the frame requires a taller jack and maybe blocks plus you are lifting 1/2 of the rig's weight rather than 1/4.
Cooper
Well-known member
A bottle jack will do fine but, if you are on the side of the road with trucks coming by and the edge if the road is at a slant it is dangerous. Every time a truck comes by your trailer will move and shake with the air pressure. If you can use a floor jack and jack stands it is a lot more stable. Sears has a racing floor jack made of aluminum it is very light weight and will fit between the tires.
Uncle Rog
Well-known member
Jimmyt5, I concur 100%, I have road service and a full complement of tire changing gear. The first blowout was on I-5, no problemo, called AAA and they got 'er done. The second blowout was 20 miles outside of Death Valley, not a whole lot of road side assistance available, a Kern county SO did stop to see if anybody was hurt, didn't offer any help, I got the carcass off and limped on in.........hopefully the new GY's will be a bit more durable!!
Pulltab, I use a 6x8............
Pulltab, I use a 6x8............
While I appreaciate everyone's ideas. I thought this was the ask the factory area where the factory would answer the question.
Since I have already had an axle problem and have heard many different ways (this forum and other forums, and have probably heard a negative for each way someone has said is the best way to do it). What I really wanted is the factory approved way to accomplish this task.
Since I have already had an axle problem and have heard many different ways (this forum and other forums, and have probably heard a negative for each way someone has said is the best way to do it). What I really wanted is the factory approved way to accomplish this task.
OK -
Here's what I know right now. In the Heartland Owners Manual, it states to "Block wheels on the opposite side from the tire you wish to change to prevent accidental movement. Position a hydrualic jack on the frame close to the spring hanger. Raise the trailer until the tire clears the ground."
I looked up another source which says, "Place the jack under the main chassis rail, as close to the axle mount as practical and loosen the lug nuts. Raise the unit until the tire is just off the ground...."
So, in general, no - never try to jack the coach up using the axles - only the main frame rail, near the axle.
ST
Here's what I know right now. In the Heartland Owners Manual, it states to "Block wheels on the opposite side from the tire you wish to change to prevent accidental movement. Position a hydrualic jack on the frame close to the spring hanger. Raise the trailer until the tire clears the ground."
I looked up another source which says, "Place the jack under the main chassis rail, as close to the axle mount as practical and loosen the lug nuts. Raise the unit until the tire is just off the ground...."
So, in general, no - never try to jack the coach up using the axles - only the main frame rail, near the axle.
ST
In the Heartland Owners Manual, as well as in other owner's manuals that I have in my office, it simply refers to jacking the coach up using the frame.
To be exact, here is what it says:
"Block wheels on the opposite side from the tire you wish to change to prevent accidental movement. Position a hydraulic jack on the frame close to the spring hanger. Raise the trailer until the tire clears the ground."
In general, I would say to NEVER consider jacking up your coach using anything other than the main frame rails. So, no, don't even consider jacking where the axle is.
ST
To be exact, here is what it says:
"Block wheels on the opposite side from the tire you wish to change to prevent accidental movement. Position a hydraulic jack on the frame close to the spring hanger. Raise the trailer until the tire clears the ground."
In general, I would say to NEVER consider jacking up your coach using anything other than the main frame rails. So, no, don't even consider jacking where the axle is.
ST
christianson
Active Member
Most bottle jacks dont have enough trave to raise the trailer if you jack onthe fram to get your wheel off I agree with forrest fetherolf if you put the jack under spring ubolt it should not bend axel if it dose time to find trailer that uses different axels Ihave jacking my trailers that way for years and have never had apoblem with bent akels and it is much safer then jacking on the frame
Heartland has to hold to the axle manufacturer's recommendations so you can't fault them. Al-Ko says not to jack on the axle. I went round and round with their engineer and couldn't get any where. I explained that with the Monticello, which has three axles, that I couldn't get a bottle jack to reach the frame on the middle axle. They then suggested to use one of the ramp lifts that you can drive the adjacient tire on and lift the middle tire off the ground.
What is strange though is that I've had repair services come out and guess what, they use the ubolt plate on the axle to jack up the wheel. I don't think we'll get any resolution to the question.
I do what the service people do and jack on the ubolt plate. I've had three flats and haven't had any problem.
What is strange though is that I've had repair services come out and guess what, they use the ubolt plate on the axle to jack up the wheel. I don't think we'll get any resolution to the question.
I do what the service people do and jack on the ubolt plate. I've had three flats and haven't had any problem.
Uncle Rog
Well-known member
Here is a link to a "jack" that I am considering, it weighs less than the lumber I am hauling around and looks solid...http://www.agri-fab.com/trailerjack45_0336.html
My buddy, "Mark Maze" sent this link from Maquoketa Lumber in Iowa, he was out for the 29th annual DV trip and thought this would have helped with the blowout...........I think he ment the cowgirl though....
My buddy, "Mark Maze" sent this link from Maquoketa Lumber in Iowa, he was out for the 29th annual DV trip and thought this would have helped with the blowout...........I think he ment the cowgirl though....
UR,
I have one like that. Tried it once. It didn't raise up the good tire enough to get the bad one all the way off the ground. I pulled off of it, blocked it up with a 2x8 and pulled back onto it and got it to work. It's not easy doing yourself though as the jack/ramp wants to creep/slide off the 2x8 blocking. Maybe if you attached the jack/ramp to some blocking it would work out fine. From the photo below, looks like mine has srew holes for mounting. Maybe the one you sourced is higher than mine (Trailer Aid).
Jim
I have one like that. Tried it once. It didn't raise up the good tire enough to get the bad one all the way off the ground. I pulled off of it, blocked it up with a 2x8 and pulled back onto it and got it to work. It's not easy doing yourself though as the jack/ramp wants to creep/slide off the 2x8 blocking. Maybe if you attached the jack/ramp to some blocking it would work out fine. From the photo below, looks like mine has srew holes for mounting. Maybe the one you sourced is higher than mine (Trailer Aid).
Jim
Sure thing Roger.
Here's a link to where I ordered mine.
Here's what I paid in Sept-2005:
1 - Trailer Aid (BRE64) $34.69
...............Sub-Total: $34.69
.........................FOB: $1.80
...........Shipping Total: $5.95
.............Grand Total: $42.44
And they send you Horse Tack catalogs (forever)...
Here's a link to where I ordered mine.
Here's what I paid in Sept-2005:
1 - Trailer Aid (BRE64) $34.69
...............Sub-Total: $34.69
.........................FOB: $1.80
...........Shipping Total: $5.95
.............Grand Total: $42.44
And they send you Horse Tack catalogs (forever)...
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
When I did my wheel bearings, I used a bottle jack under the u-bolt. I can understand using the frame would be a much wiser choice because I would be concerned about how much weight a single spring can safely hold when using one of the "trailer aid" type of devices. Even when I used the u-bolt, raising the axle enough for the tire to clear, the spring arch was gone. Using a trailer aid, the single spring would be supporting half of the trailer weight. Might not be good fer the spring???
Forrest Fetherolf
Senior Member
If jacking up the axle by the u-bolt will crush or bend the axle up, what is the possibility of the axle being crushed or bent down with the dead load of the rig plus the downward loading force (G-Force) when bouncing on a bumpy road, pothole, or driving one wheel on a block?
I'll stick with the bottle jack on the u-bolt...........shorter jack, less weight and less height to lift to get the job done. If you have mor-ryde or trailair suspension, jacking up by the equalizer might not be a good idea.
If you have road service, make sure their response vehicle carries a floor jack that will lift 2 to 3 feet high; my 3600RL frame is 2' above the ground at the spring brackets.
I'll stick with the bottle jack on the u-bolt...........shorter jack, less weight and less height to lift to get the job done. If you have mor-ryde or trailair suspension, jacking up by the equalizer might not be a good idea.
If you have road service, make sure their response vehicle carries a floor jack that will lift 2 to 3 feet high; my 3600RL frame is 2' above the ground at the spring brackets.
